Mute for string instruments



Jan. 24, 1950, s. OHAB 2,495,343

MUTE FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS Filed Feb. 2 1946 1| \Ill'lllllllHlll gllilUH] P INVENTOR. j'hmfqy (l/za BY M M Patented Jan. 24, 1950 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE MUTE FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS Stanley Ohab, New York,N. Y.

Application February 26, 194.6, Serial No. 650,271

3 Claims. (Cl. 84-311) The purpose of my invention is to make a mutewhich is set in a certain position by means of a spring in the tail ofthe violin and is held tightly to allow for adjustment of the mute overthe bridge of the violin, to soften the sounds.

There are three positions of adjustment in which this mute is used,namely, the normal position adjacent to the bridge, which does notaffect the sound while the bow is drawn across the instrument, or thesecond position in which a small outside notch is set over the bridge,or the third position in which the deeper notch of the mute is set overthe bridge. These positions affect the tones by mufiling the sounds asdesired by the violinist. The eiiect is the same upon any stringinstrument.

A further object of my invention is to provide a mute which once set, isimmovable in its position, and will allow the player to attain thedesired tone or sound by simple adjustment in moving the mute.

Referring to the drawings which illustrate my invention:

For purposes of illustration, a violin is shown.

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the mute in applied position adjacent tothe bridge.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same (see Fig. 1).

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the mute in one adjustmenton the bridge.

Figure l is a similar view to Fig. 3, with another adjustment on thebridge.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the mute.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is a top view of the mute stem.

Referring more specifically to the drawings:

The mute l is pivotly mounted onto the saddle 2 of the violin 3 at 4with the pin 5. The groove 6 of the stem '5 of the mute l carries thespring 8 which bears against the saddle 2, and the violin which tends topress the stem 1 in a downward direction. At the other extremity at thestem 1 is the pin 9 on which is mounted the mute portion 10. The spring1! tends to press the mute in a. rearward direction. The mute l iscomposed of the upright portion i2 which is grooved at I3 to accommodatethe strings l4 and I5 of the violin. In Figure 3, the longitudinal cut I6 gives resiliency to the notch at H, which sets as indicated, over thebridge 2| at is. In the Figure 4, the opening it sets over the bridge 2|as indicated, with the top of the mute shown at i8 in horizontalposition. The finger grips 20 are made on both sides of the mute toaccommodate the finger nails in raising the mute. The strings l4 and I5pass through the slotted openings shown at 22 and 23.

Although the drawings and the above specifications disclose the bestmethod in which I have contemplated embodying my invention, I desire inno way to be limited to the details of such disclosure, for in thefurther application of my invention changes in form and proportions canbe made as circumstances require or as experience suggests withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention within the scope of theappended claims.

The mute is made of any desired hard substance.

What I claim as new and novel is:

1. A mute for a stringed instrument having a saddle extending towards abridge and strings connected to the saddle and extending over the upperedge of the bridge, said mute comprising an arm hingedly connected tothe under side of the saddle and extending towards the bridge, springmeans for normally urging said arm downwardly away from the strings, amute hingedl connected to the outer end of the arm, said mute havinglongitudinal openings therethrough and through which certain of the saidstrings pass, the under side of said mute being provided with atransverse bridge edge receiving slot, said means for urging the armdownwardly also forming means for holding the bridge edge in the slot.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a shallow transverse slotcarried by the mute forwardly of the first mentioned slot for receivingthe upper edge of the bridge for a modified muting operation.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including spring means carried bythe forwardly extending arm and cooperating with the mute for holdingthe mute in rearwardly spaced relation to the bridge when in inoperativeposition.

STANLEY OI-IAB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 444,448 Loebs Jan. 13, 1891538,405 Bingham Apr. 30, 1895 1,215,973 Olmedo Feb. 13, 1917

